• Using real materials
  
• For all areas of citizenship
  
• For government and democracy
  
• For identities and communities
  
• For rights and responsibilities

Using real materials

Post-16 citizenship programmes need to draw on a wide range of up-to-date, 'real' materials suited to young people's particular needs and circumstances. The media offers a rich source of information to stimulate discussion and debate on current issues. This can be supplemented by a wide range of leaflets, booklets and resource packs from local and national organisations.

When deciding whether a resource is appropriate for post-16 citizenship, it is important to consider the following factors:

• Credibility - How reliable is the source? How relevant is the information to the age and interests of young people and the setting in which they are learning?
• Currency - Is the content up to date?
• Scope - How well does the resource cover citizenship knowledge and skills? Does it offer potential to support active learning? Does it pose challenging questions and prompt follow-up action?
• Balance of views - How far does the resource offer a balanced view of issues? Does it need to be presented with information offering alternative views?
• Accessibility - What is the reading level? Is it well designed? Is the resource suitable for different learning styles?

The following sections suggest possible sources of support and resources that can help with post-16 citizenship.

For all areas of citizenship

Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT)
www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk/
ACT is the professional subject association for citizenship. Its main aim is to foster mutual support, knowledge and good practice, skills and resources for the teaching and learning of citizenship in schools and colleges. It publishes a journal twice a year, Teaching Citizenship.

Centre for Citizenship Studies in Education
www.le.ac.uk/education/centres/citizenship
This centre promotes research and education for citizenship, human rights and the teaching of democracy in schools. It produces teaching and learning materials and offers a distance-learning programme for teachers.

Changemakers
www.changemakers.org.uk/
Changemakers offers resources, training and consultancy to support a young-person-led approach to community action and peer learning.

Citizenship Foundation
www.citfou.org.uk/
The Citizenship Foundation promotes citizenship through education about the law, democracy and society, and offers a wide range of resources, initiatives and training.

Community Service Volunteers (CSV)
www.csv.org.uk/
CSV promotes active citizenship in schools and colleges by supporting young people in activities that enrich local communities. It offers training opportunities, a directory of community organisations and other resources.

DfES Citizenship
www.dfes.gov.uk/citizenship
The DfES citizenship website supports the teaching of citizenship by providing a gateway to key information for teachers, pupils, parents and governors. It includes links to citizenship organisations, resources, a teacher training needs identification tool, and examples of good practice.

DfES Teacher Net
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/citizenship/section.cfm?sectionld=1&hierarchy=1
This website offers information and resources on rights and responsibilities, community and identity, active citizenship, news and media, global citizenship, environment and sustainable development, consumer information and financial capability.

Institute for Citizenship
www.citizen.org.uk/
The Institute encourages citizenship outside school by engaging young people in active projects. It offers training and works with teachers, students and LEAs to develop and evaluate resources. It also hosts a discussion between 14- to 19-year-olds from across Europe on a variety of issues.

Key Skills Support Programme
www.citizen.org.uk/
This offers a wide range of resources, training and information to support effective practice in the key skills of communication, application of number, information technology, working with others, improving own learning and performance, and problem solving. The website has pages for those in the work-based route, as well as schools and colleges.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC)
http://www.lsc.gov.uk/
The LSC offers information on post-16 education and training policy and practice, including a guide on engaging with young people that 'puts learners in the driving seat and provides advice about good practice in consulting with young people'.

The Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA)
www.post16citizenship.org
The LSDA's post-16 citizenship website offers resources for practitioners and young people in schools, colleges, youth and community settings and the workplace. It includes the Post-16 Citizenship Development Programme newsletter (Citizenship News), citizenship reports, a directory of published resources, downloadable materials and case studies, plus web links to other sources of information.

Local Government Association
www.lga.gov.uk/
The Local Government Association provides information on the structure of local government, councillors, council tax and local government income. With the National Youth Agency, it has published the 'Hear by Rights' standards that set out what local authorities should aim for in actively involving young people in local democracy.

National Curriculum
www.nc.uk.net/citizenship
The national curriculum website contains the programmes of study for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4.

The National Youth Agency (NYA)
www.nya.org.uk/
The NYA is one of several organisations that promotes the voice of young people and their influence in society. It publishes a range of resources and manages the website www.youthinformation.com/, with information on topics such as justice and equality, money, health, housing, employment and training.

National Foundation for Educational Research (NfER)
www.nfer.ac.uk
The NfER is leading work on behalf of the DfES to evaluate the impact of citizenship in schools as part of a nine-year study. It also led the evaluation of the Learning and Skills Development Agency Post-16 Citizenship Development Programme

Ofsted
www.ofsted.gov.uk
Ofsted's remit is to improve the standard of achievement and quality of education through regular independent inspections, public reporting and informed advice. It provides annual reports on citizenship.

The Politics Association
www.politics-association.org.uk/
The Politics Association promotes the study and teaching of the theory and practice of local, national and international politics. It offers a professional service for all those interested in the teaching of political subjects and publishes a range of advanced-level textbooks, papers and a magazine (Citizenship PA).

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
www.qca.org.uk/citizenship
The QCA website includes information about citizenship at key stages 1 to 4 including: a glossary of citizenship words and terms used in the teaching of citizenship; guidance on assessment to help schools work with pupils to develop appropriate and manageable ways of assessing progress and achievement in citizenship; guidance about working with external contributors in citizenship and PSHE; a list of qualifications and awards available for citizenship.

Scheme of work for citizenship at key stage 4
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes
The schemes of work website provides guidance on planning and implementing citizenship as a national curriculum subject at key stage 4. Example teaching units provide ideas and activities to address a wide range of topics and issues.

For government and democracy

BBC News Online
www.bbc.co.uk/news/
BBC News Online includes major news stories and a multimedia discussion forum. The UK politics section includes Talking politics, which has background information on big political issues; Government guide, an overview of ministerial and departmental responsibility; and Jargon buster, with links to information about the houses of Parliament. There is also an interactive tour of Parliament.

British Youth Council (BYC)
www.byc.org.uk
BYC, which is run for and by young people, aims to represent their views to central and local government, political parties, pressure groups and the media. It promotes active citizenship and the skills to take part in decision-making bodies and committees. It also supports peer education and youth councils.

Citizen 21
www.citizen21.org.uk
A one-stop shop for citizenship organisations, resources, links, events and information (eg on voting, parliament and freedom of information). The site includes questions for self-directed study and workshop materials.

Common Purpose
www.yourturn.net
Websites for people who want to 'take the lead and make a difference in the world'. Justdosomething includes a section on skills for citizens and a zone for 11- to 18-year-olds with a campaigning toolkit and a guide to the UK (including information about central and local government and the economy). Yourturn includes multimedia games.

The European Parliament
www.europarl.org.uk
The website for the UK office of the European Parliament provides information about the role and activities of the Parliament and the EU. It offers seminars, speakers, publications and videos, plus contact details for MEPs from the UK.

Hansard Society
www.hansardsociety.org.uk
The Hansard Society provides resources on parliamentary democracy and a neutral space in which those with an interest in Parliament can come together to study and debate. The Hansard Citizenship Education site offers materials, speakers and voting online to engage young people in the political process.

House of Commons
www.parliament.uk/about_commons/about_commons.cfm
The House of Commons website includes information about its work, committees, membership, history and powers. All House of Commons publications are also available online, including the daily record of parliamentary proceedings, bills, and reports by select committees that scrutinise the work of Government.

National Union of Students
www.nusonline.co.uk
The NUS believes that students learn best about democracy through real experience of elections and debates. It supports the development of student unions and councils through training and produces materials and guides on union involvement.

Operation Black Vote
www.obv.org.uk
This aims to encourage and inspire greater political participation by the UK's African, Caribbean and other ethnic minorities. Includes guides to democracy.

UK Youth Parliament
www.ukyouthparliament.com
www.ukyp.org.uk
A nationwide forum where young people can communicate key issues of concern to political leaders. Young people elect, select and decide on how the Youth Parliament is run and works.

The British Council
www.britishcouncil.org/
The British Council provides training, materials, publications, videos and a link to regional European Resource Centres. These offer resources, many on loan, free and in sets for groups, to introduce a European and international dimension to citizenship issues.

The Commonwealth
www.thecommonwealth.org/
The Commonwealth Secretariat's website provides information on the Commonwealth and programmes of work. This includes the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP), which promotes the ideas of young people as 'productive members of a global society'.

Cultural Co-operation
www.culturalco-operation.org
This charity supports activities to celebrate cultural diversity through the arts. Its education programme includes artist residencies, workshops in schools, INSET sessions for teachers, concerts and 'Music Village', a festival of world cultures.

Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
www.defra.gov.uk
DEFRA is the UK government department that leads on sustainable development policy. A separate site (www.sustainable-development.gov.uk) includes reports on progress by the UK as a whole towards sustainable development. Information about campaigns and how to get involved is available at www.doingyourbit.org.uk

Department for International Development (DFID)
www.dfid.gov.uk
DFID is the UK government department that is responsible for promoting development and the reduction of poverty. It produces a range of publications, including newsletters on issues such as energy, transport, urbanisation and water.

Development Education Association, Global Citizenship Consortium
www.citizenship-global.org.uk
This website has pages that suggest possible paths for teachers, tutors, youth leaders and post-16 learners to follow, including activities and actions, researching the global dimension to citizenship and suggested themes, questions and links.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
www.nc.uk.net/esd/index.htm
ESD is an approach to the whole curriculum and management of schools, not a new subject. It has its roots in environmental education and development education and, as a result, many of the building blocks of ESD are already present in every school. This website has been designed to help teachers, curriculum coordinators, school managers and governors to develop approaches to ESD.

The European Union (EU)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/youth/index_en.html
The European Union's youth site.

www.europarl.eu.int/charter
The site for the charter of fundamental rights of the EU, which sets out the full range of civil, political, economic and social rights of EU citizens.

http://european-convention.eu.int
The site for the convention on the future of Europe. What do you want the EU to do? How can the EU be more democratic and open? You can join in the debate at www.europa.eu.int/futurum

The Home Office
www.homeoffice.gov.uk
The Home Office aims to 'support strong and active communities in which people of all races and backgrounds are valued and participate on equal terms'. Its website includes pages on race, equality and diversity; community and race (with information on active communities and volunteering); community cohesion (including guidance, policy and examples of good practice); the active community unit and the race equality unit.

Oxfam Education Unit
www.oxfam.org.uk
Oxfam promotes global citizenship and aims to enable young people to challenge poverty and injustice, and take effective action for change. It has an online resources catalogue and information, including appeals and awareness campaigns.

The RE site
www.theresite.org.uk
This site provides a searchable index of RE resources, news and views, details of places of worship to visit, links to government and agency sites, and a guide to ICT and video resources. The RE online directory offers a starting point for using the web to explore different faith communities.

Red Cross Youth
www.gyp.net
The Red Cross Youth's Global Awareness Programme aims to help young people become active and informed global citizens. It focuses on the humanitarian issues behind poverty and exclusion, exploring the causes and consequences of inequalities.

The United Nations (UN)
www.un.org/english/
This website includes information about the UN and its member states, daily briefings, issues on the UN agenda and publications. The cyberschoolbus site for young people (cyberschoolbus.un.org/) includes an introduction to the history and work of the UN, statistical data for UN member states, quizzes, games, digital adventures and webcasts.

For rights and responsibilities

Amnesty International
www.amnesty.org.uk
Amnesty International is concerned with human rights education. It offers education packs, lists of speakers, videos, posters, software, assembly packs on human rights themes and publications for young people. There is also a website section for students, with information on youth group activities, case studies and details of how to take action on defending human rights.

Commissions for Racial Equality, Disability Rights and Equal Opportunities
www.cre.gov.uk
www.drc-gb.org
www.eoc.org.uk
These commissions offer information, guidance and advice on equal opportunities and securing rights. They focus on race relations, discrimination against disabled people and sex discrimination.

Consumers' Association
www.which.net/corporate/contents.html
The Consumers' Association, which publishes Which? magazines and books, is a not-for-profit organisation that researches and campaigns on behalf of consumers.

Department of Trade & Industry (DTI)
www.dti.gov.uk
The DTI offers information on issues that affect people at work, including rights and employment relations. Other useful sites that cover similar issues are www.tiger.gov.uk, a user-friendly guide to UK employment law, and www.societyandbusiness.gov.uk, which includes information on developing corporate responsibility in the UK.

Legal Services Commission
www.legalservices.gov.uk
The Legal Services Commission gives information and legal advice, including free guides on civil and criminal issues, and leaflets on a range of issues related to rights and responsibilities (eg employment, dealing with the police, problems with goods and services, equal opportunities).

Trades Union Congress (TUC)
www.tuc.org.uk
The TUC produces a wide range of resources, reports and campaign literature, including the guide Your Rights at Work and an education pack A Better Way to Work.

UNISON
www.unison.org.uk/
UNISON is Britain's biggest trade union. It manages a website developed with the National Union of Students, www.troubleatwork.org.uk, which offers up-to-date information and advice for working students, covering topics such as contracts, health and safety, bullying, racism, harassment and unions.